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Description
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed | |
| Base model: | P-3 | |
| Designation: | EP-3 | |
| Version: | E | |
| Nickname: | Orion | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Tri-Service | |
| Designation Period: | 1962-Present | |
| Basic role: | Patrol | |
| Modified Mission: | Special electronic installation | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
| Length: | 116' 10" | 35.6 m | |
| Height: | 33' 8" | 10.2 m | |
| Wingspan: | 99' 8" | 30.3 m | |
| Wingarea: | 1,300.0 sq ft | 120.7 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 61,491 lb | 27,887 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 135,000 lb | 61,224 kg | |
| Max Weight: | 142,000 lb | 64,399 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | Allison T56-A-14 | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 4910 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 4,765 miles | 7,673 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 378 mph | 608 km/h | 328 kt |
| Max Speed: | 473 mph | 761 km/h | 411 kt |
| Climb: | 2,175 ft/min | 662 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 28,300 ft | 8,625 m | |
Operators (Past and Present)
| USN | VQ-1 | Agana | Guam |
| USN | VQ-2 | Rota | Spain |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Jack Darby, CTIC(NAC), Retired , NV | I flew in Deepwell configured EP-3E out of Rota in 1976 and 1977. I think it was "Ranger 24." 12/27/2014 @ 14:19 [ref: 68848] |
| Jeff Frey Ewa Beach, HI | VQ-1 and VQ-2 are both stationed at Whidbey Island NAS in Washington. VQ-1 made the move from Guam in the mid 90's and VQ-2 made the move this year(2005).
A little history on the EP-3 series of aircraft... EP-3A - Based off the Alpha airframe, and no two aircraft are configured nor look the same. Mainly the "Billboards" flown by PMTC Point Magu. Later redesignated NP-3D. EP-3B Batrack - Based on the Alpha airframe. A couple reasons for the "B" designation was these aircraft had T56-14 engines instead of -10's that Alpha originally came with. Also they were fitted with "Heavyweight" struts(increased gross weight) the Heavyweight Bravo(or Super Bee) airframes, and Charlies have. There were three of these aircraft designated. Two were ELINT birds with VQ-1, which carried a modified ship board ELINT equipment. To be later upgraded to EP-3E ARIES standards. The thrid was for the INEWS project flown by NRL(now VXS-1). Of note VXS-1 still flies this aircraft. EP-3E ARIES - agian Alpha based ELINT aircraft of VQ-1/VQ-2. The follow-on ELINT aircraft for the "Batrack" The ELINT gear here designed for aviation use. This is where the ARIES comes into play it is "Airborne Reconnaissance Integrated Electronic System" which links all the compnents together via a tactical processor. These Alpha airframes were also outfitted with -14 engines, and the heavyweight struts. An updated version of this aircraft was know as "Deepwell" (Only seven of the ten EP-3E's recieved this upgrade. EP-3E ARIES II - Charlie based airframe with upgraded avionics package as well. EP-3E ARIES II SSIP - SSIP is Sensor Station Improvement Program which is pretty self explanitory. They upgraded the avionics package. The Orion designation has never been officially changed though very few if any in the community call the EP's Orions. "Mission Bird", "Warpig", "Echo-Pecker"(not so much in the Political Correct world of today) are common names the aircraft are refered to. With the end of the P-3's life in the next ten years, It currently looks like the EP-3E will be replaced by the ELINT version of the Embrear ERJ-145, that the Army is looking at to replace its RC-12's with. (Army has the Military's ELINT money, and it looks like common aircraft is the way they are going.) Though, this descion was made prior to the Navy's pick of the Boeing P-8 MMA aircraft(based off the BBJ2 aircraft, which in turn is based off the B737-800)... the VQ world has expressed intrest in an ELINT version of the P-8. Though not sure if they will win the money battle with the Army. 10/15/2005 @ 07:35 [ref: 11482] |
| R. A. Fiol , FL | In response to "lardarse"
The aircraft is still an 'Orion". Aries II refers to the generation of its electronic configuration. EP-3E Deepwell and Aries (modified P-3A) ??? - 1994 EP-3E Aries II (modified baseline P-3C) 1991 - pres EP-3E SSIP (modied P-3C) 2000 - pres R.A. Fiol (modified Chief Avionics Tech and EP-3E flyer 1984 - 2000) 10/25/2002 @ 21:51 [ref: 5952] |
| lardarse , IN | I could be wrong (in fact I frequently am) but surely you mean 'Aries II' when refering to the EP-3e rather than 'Orion' which is the base model (P-3)? 04/20/2001 @ 22:10 [ref: 2129] |
| Friedrich Kappes Heidelberg, IA | Please drop me a line if you know her date of commission.
Or join my mailing list: http://www.egroups.com/mygroups/aeroplanes Thank you P.S.: I´m only from Iowa because this program won´t let me choose -OTHER-. I´m from Germany, more exactly from Baden-Würtemberg, Kurpfalz!!!! 07/13/2000 @ 12:05 [ref: 432] |
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